Page 50 of A Match Made in Coven
Love’s a Witch
SARAH MICHELLE
Sarah Michelle landed on the shadowed rooftop of Salem Hospital, her gossamer wings folding back into her shoulder blades as she reached for the service door handle. A whispered incantation, and the lock clicked open, granting her access to a dim stairwell.
She exited on the fourth floor and followed the hall signs to her grandmother’s room; her mom had texted her the number. The hallway overflowed with anxious Callidoras of all ages. Tonight—the only night of the year when it wasn’t frowned upon—all in witch regalia. To a casual observer, they would look like a bunch of Halloween over-enthusiasts instead of an actual coven of witches gathered to support their matriarch.
Sarah Michelle pushed through the cluster of her relatives, ignoring their concerned glances until she reached the equally crowded hospital room. The moment she stepped in, a sudden hush greeted her. All eyes turned to her, narrowed in suspicion, thick with blame she didn’t understand. Across the room, her mother stood vigil at her grandmother’s bedside.
“Mom, what’s going on? Is Nana okay?”
Her mother fixed her with a stern look. “We thought it was her heart, but thank the stars, it turned out to be only a severe panic episode.”
“A panic attack? About what?”
Her mom sighed and shook her head while Sarah Michelle shrunk under the weight of her family’s collective gaze. “Why is everyone staring at me like that?”
A tense silence stretched between them, broken only by the rhythmic beeping of the monitors. Sarah Michelle turned to face the room at large, her voice rising in frustration. “Can someone please tell me what’s going on?”
Averted eyes and uncomfortable shuffling met her question until a shrill accusation cut through the quiet. “This is your fault, Sarah Michelle!” Her aunt jabbed a finger in her direction.
Sarah Michelle recoiled as if slapped, her eyes widening in disbelief. “What are you talking about? I wasn’t even here! How could this be my fault?”
Her aunt snickered, the sound grating against Sarah Michelle’s already worn patience. “Oh no, dear. We know exactly where you were.” She paused for dramatic effect, her gaze sweeping across the room to ensure she had everyone’s attention. “Making an absolute fool of yourself with a Black at the town hall ball, that’s where!”
Many gasped, the shock followed by scandalized whispers. Her cheeks burned as the sting of her family’s judgment hooked into her flesh like barbs.
Sarah was already destroyed, but her aunt barreled on. “Your poor nana’s heart shattered when the news arrived. Millicent from theWitchly Heraldfire-called us, hyperventilating. Said she’d never seen such a spectacle in all her years of reporting!”
Sarah Michelle’s mind reeled as she struggled to process the accusation. Before she could formulate a response, a weak voice rose from the bed, drawing everyone’s attention.
“Shelly…” Nana’s eyes fluttered open, her gaze locking onto her granddaughter’s face. “Promise me… promise me you won’t see that man again.”
Sarah Michelle’s heart plummeted, her nana’s words echoing in her ears like a death knell. The room shrunk around her, generations of animosity and mistrust pressing in, suffocating her.
She blinked, allowing herself to remember Lorcan’s touch, how his eyes crinkled when he laughed, the spark of electricity that danced between them. It was like a vibrant, pulsing thread of magic, weaving them together in defiance of their covens’ ancient enmity. But as she gazed at her grandmother’s gaunt face, that thread frayed.
She twisted the hem of her uniform shirt as she took in the faces of her relatives. They belonged to a world of spells and potions, of covens and sacred oaths. A place where loving Lorcan Black was as forbidden as using dark magic.
With the eyes of her loved ones upon her and the shadows of her ancestors looming large, Sarah Michelle made a choice. With a heavy heart, she nodded. “I promise, Nana. I won’t see him again.”
Relief washed over Nana’s face as she sank back into the pillows, her eyes drifting closed once more.
Just then, a nurse bustled into the room, ushering the family out with gentle but firm insistence. “Your grandmother needs to rest now. She’ll be home tomorrow. You can visit her then.”
Grateful for the excuse to leave, Sarah Michelle slipped away in the ensuing commotion, her emotions running too wild to interact with anyone. She darted into the hospital’s dimly lit hallway, seeking refuge in a corner next to a vending machine that hummed, almost sympathetically. She leaned against the wall, drawing in shaky breaths to steady the storm raging within her. When tears rolled down her cheeks, she fled back to the rooftop where she had landed mere minutes ago. Frosty air engulfed her as she spread her wings, tears blurring her vision as she took to the sky.
She flew blindly, her heart leading her to the one place she shouldn’t go. Lorcan’s house loomed before her, and she touched down on his porch, her wings folding away with a soft whisper. The wood planks creaked under her feet, a mournful sound that matched the ache in her chest. Tears streamed down her face as she raised a trembling hand to knock, but before her knuckles could make contact with the solid oak door, it swung open. Lorcan’s blue-green eyes were wide with concern, his tousled blond hair catching the moonlight. He was still wearing his tux and looked like a prince.
“Sarah Michelle? What’s wrong? Is your grandmother alright?”
“Nana’s okay.” Her voice cracked over the words, and Sarah Michelle felt as ifshewould never be okay again.
Lorcan’s eyes searched her face. “Then why are you crying?”
She shook her head, unable to form words. The lump in her throat threatened to choke her, and she feared that if she opened her mouth, she’d dissolve into sobs.
Lorcan reached out, his muscular arms ready to envelop her in what she knew would be a comforting embrace. But Sarah Michelle couldn’t let herself fall into that warmth. She couldn’t risk the sweet oblivion of his touch. With trembling hands, she raised a magical barrier between them, her palms flat against the solid wall of air.
